DONE DEAL: Chelsea Sign Enzo Fernandez From Benfica For Record Fee

Chelsea have signed Enzo Fernandez from Benfica after meeting the midfielder’s €121 million (£106.8m) release clause.
Enzo Fernandez is currently the most expensive signing in Premier League history.
Benfica confirmed Fernandez’s move to Chelsea in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Chelsea have signed Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a British-record transfer fee.

The Blues agreed to a £105million deal to bring the Argentina international, 22, to Stamford Bridge after a month-long pursuit.

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He is the most expensive signing in Premier League history – eclipsing the £100m Manchester City paid for Jack Grealish in 2021.

The deal went down to the wire with Chelsea submitting a deal sheet before the 11pm deadline, giving them an extra hour to get the move completed.

However, it is understood they successfully got the necessary paperwork over the line to complete the historic transfer.

Benfica were determined not to lose Fernandez in January. They insisted the midfielder would only be sold if his release clause was met, with Benfica making a substantial profit on the £8.8m they paid when he arrived from Argentine side River Plate just seven months ago.

Benfica confirmed Fernandez’s move to Chelsea in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

A statement read: “Benfica informs that it has reached an agreement with Chelsea FC for the sale of all the rights of the player Enzo Fernandez, for an amount of €121m.”

It continued: “Benfica… will still have to deliver to River Plate the amount corresponding to 25 per cent of the transfer value deducted from the amounts of the solidarity and intermediation services.”

Fernandez made a name for himself during the recent World Cup in Qatar.